In the heart of downtown is where the life is a steady beat of loud cars and hooting motorbikes. Sidewalk sellers of all types shouting out their wares become a dull drone in the background that you hardly hear after a few minutes. It seems like the busy section is divided into areas, one will have a lot of snacks, while others seem to only offer fresh fruit and vegetables.
Our breakfast was a quickly made roti, there was a queue and hungry people that must be served fast. The splatted of a thousand previously assembled roti’s on the glass divide a testament to this speed. I got the chili one and they tore the paper wrapper to indicate this. Walking the streets between the rain we were brought up short by a hot bread seller. Riki finds hot bread impossible to ignore, so that was our second breakfast. Sweet and buttery, like a hot cross bun but with coconut taking the place of raisins.
Onwards through the rain, we found ourselves trapped in a Noni store by a sudden downpour. The guy manning the stand served us some cure-all tea. It tasted quite pleasant, but the warmth infused our bodies and we were onto the temple. A huge structure, with what looked like houses in it. We didn’t enter as the ground was wet and we didn’t feel like taking our shoes off.
A short drive up the road and we arrived at the post office, which is the old Terre Rouge train station. It was open and I got to go in and have a look inside. Behind it is the ever-busy M2 highway with a walkway over it, with an obelisk and 2 eagles erected on top of it, it is a grand sight. A short stop at a green space for an unknown sculpture and then off to the cemetery
With a second smaller, but beautiful, train station at Bois Marchand. We were lead around the cemetery by the gatekeeper and his ancient book of burials. He showed us some gravemarkers from the late 1800. Filled with new information we made our way to Saint Joseph chapel, the one you can see from the highway. On the way I told the story of Pagley, a story set in Terre Rouge and now a Bollywood movie. We found even older graves at the chapel.
For some time we had noticed that different religions in Mauritius marked their places of worship in different colours, this held true with the gravemarkers as well. We think it has also spilled out into the political arena. More study is required. Riki mentioned the recent grave robberies and how the Chinese community had set up a community watch. I told the story of how a Muslim saint’s body was found. Heading across the highway we came upon one of the oldest temples in Mauritius, unfortunately, it was locked, but outback were the vegetable fields that supply half the country, I would guess. Running down its center is an ancient aqueduct, with water still flowing through it. A beautiful structure made from stone.
Our final stop was Saint Joseph church. Also locked up. It was at this point we remembered that Joseph was Jesus’s stepdad, strange the things you don’t really think about. Standing opposite the church is a beautiful old blue shop. We closed out the adventure with me talking about good soil and water, while Riki watched a dog scratch.
Terre Rouge, busy town with a lot of history.